


The Ring

by DruidX



Series: The Genderless!HoK (TES IV: Oblivion) [9]
Category: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Kinda, Light Angst, Marriage Proposal, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27634774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DruidX/pseuds/DruidX
Summary: Set waaay after the MQ.Rowan is asked by her grandson what the rings are that she wears. She explains, and recalls some events from during the Oblivion Crisis.
Relationships: Baurus/Hero of Kvatch | Champion of Cyrodiil
Series: The Genderless!HoK (TES IV: Oblivion) [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1901968
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

"Nain?"  
"Yes, Baba?" The child on my lap shifted, surprisingly gentle fingers touching my neck to pick up the chain that lay there.  
"What's this?"  
"It's a necklace chain."  
"Nooo," he said, in that way children have when they think you're being silly. "This."  
I opened my eyes from where I'd been resting with the late summer sun warm on my face, sitting up so the tree behind me was flush against my back. My grandson held up the object of his attention from where it hung on the chain: a ring of interlocking green glass and rose gold bands. I smiled.  
"It was a present from a very old friend, Baba. See here," I took it from him, and showed him how the bands split apart to make two separate rings.  
"Oh. That's neat. It's very pretty. Who gave it to you, Nain? Can I meet them?"  
"Ah, I wish that you could, Baba." I gave him a soft smile and brushed a hand over the dark coils of his hair. "But he's in Aetherius now."  
"Oh. What was he like?" Taren asked, curling up against me, and tucking his head under my chin.  
"Oh, he was wonderful Baba. He was a warrior-"  
"Like you?"  
"A little like me, yes. But he fought with a sword instead of a bow. A fine, thin Akaviri blade. And he was brave and steadfast-"  
"What's steadfast mean?"  
"It means he stuck with the people who needed him, no matter what."  
"Like Uncle Modryn?"  
"Exactly like Uncle Modryn. And this warrior of mine, he was handsome and kind. He looked a bit like you actually, Baba. All long-limbs and skin like oak-bark." I rested my chin on Taren's head for a moment, staring through the trees of the Great Forest, towards the north. "He was the funniest, strongest, friendliest man I knew."  
Taren giggled. " _Not_ like Uncle Modryn. He calls everyone _s'wit_. 'Sept for me."  
I snorted. "That's because you're a babe, my sweet. And I shall be having words about him cussing in your presence."  
"Nooo," Taren whined, sitting up to pout at me.  
"Yes. Besides, Uncle Modryn can be friendly when he wants to be. It's just not often that happens."   
Taren reached again for where the ring lay against my chest, his tiny fingers feeling the tactile glass and metal, letting them gently chink against each other.  
"Nain? The warrior what looks like me-"  
" _That_ looks like you."  
"-why'd he give you this?"  
I opened my mouth to answer but found myself pausing as an old pain twisted in my chest, temporarily robbing me of speech.  
"It was a... promise," I said after a moment. If the little boy heard the tremor in my voice, he surely didn't know what it meant. "We... cared about each other very much, you see."  
"Like you care about me?"  
"Hrm, more like how your Mama and Papa care about each other."  
"Oh. What'd he promise?"  
"He- Ah." The question caught me off guard. "A lot of things, Baba." I swallowed, turning my head as if I could stare through the emerald leaves to the diamond white of the Jerrals.  
"Nain?" Warm, tiny hands pressed against my cheeks, and Taren moved my head back so I was looking at him. "Are you angry at him?"  
I blinked. "No, Baba. Why do you say that?"  
"Cuz you're crying Nain." Little fingers traced wetness down my cheek. "Which means he broke his promise. I get angry when people break their promises too, and it makes me sad and I cry." He frowned. "People shouldn't break promises. I don't think I like him, if he broke his and made you sad."  
For a moment my breath was stolen by his tiny, fierce expression. Then I scrubbed the cuff of my shirt over my face, gave a little chuckle and snuggled Taren against me, kissing the top of his head.  
"Oh, Baba. You're right. People shouldn't knowingly break their promises. But sometimes, things happen. My warrior, he didn't break his promise on purpose. The Gods called him to Aetherius. And when the Gods call, you have to go."  
"But you're still sad."  
"Aye, Baba. But I'm not angry. I miss him, is all."


	2. Chapter 2

That night, after Taren was tucked into bed, I sat by the fire with a small glass of mead, staring at the interwoven ring. Memories, buoyed by the honey wine, bubbled through my mind. Thoughts I'd not had for a long time.   
I remembered how my warrior had given me a letter: " _When you're next in the Imperial City_ ," he'd said, " _take this to Red Diamond Jewelry, would you?_ " I'd laughed and done so, playing courier for a half-dozen letters between Hamlof Red-Tooth and he.  
A month later, Methredhel handed me a package: " _From Hamlof Red-Tooth_ ," she said. " _For your friend in Bruma. He says I'm to make your swear not to peek._ "  
" _And I will not,_ " said I.  
" _Swear it,_ " she insisted.  
" _Very well,_ " said I, amused. " _On the next Oblivion gate I close, thus I swear I shall not peek._ " She nodded solemnly, and we parted.

" _Did you look?_ " my brown-skinned warrior asked when I handed the package over at Cloud Ruler Temple.  
" _No. I swore upon the next Oblivion Gate I closed that I would not. Not,_ " I added sniffily, " _that I would have pryed upon a private package._ "  
He smiled so beautifully then and handed me the package back.   
" _Feel free to satiate your curiosity,_ " he said. I gave him an annoyed twitch of the lips, but he just laughed and nodded to the package. As bid, I unfurled the parcel to find the ring of red-gold and green glass nestled in a box of wool.  
" _What's this?_ " asked I.  
" _A promise,_ " said he, taking it and separating the bands. Onto my finger, he slipped the ring of red-gold. Onto his own, he placed the band of green-glass. " _That when this is all over, when we have freedom from Daedra and duty, we can begin to explore our place together_."  
I recall I sat back, startled. " _I'm not saying no, but... Are you sure? What about Martin?_ "  
" _He gives his blessing._ "  
" _That's not what I asked._ "  
My warrior smiled. " _We have had a lot of time to talk, His Majesty and I, and discuss many topics. To lessen the other's guilt,_ " he added, with a meaningful raise of his eyebrows. " _He gives his blessing. As does Champion Oreyn._ "  
I laughed, astonished. " _You did not-!_ "  
" _For lack of a father to ask, I did,_ " he said, smirking that smirk that made me fall for him in the first place.  
" _And you are sure?_ "  
He lifted my hand to his lips, kissing the ring. " _The surest I have ever been_."

I took a sip of my mead, remembering a snow-blown field. Of Martin, holding me back, begging my forgiveness, telling me not to look. Of searching the bodies anyway. The carrion birds rising like a black cloak around me as I screamed when I found his lifeless form. Those guards that remained kept a respectful distance until I had screamed myself hoarse; until Martin urged them to help me to my feet so we could return to Cloud Ruler. But I shunned their help. I took the blade of my warrior and I took his ring. I bled in silence as I carried his body along black streets to the Chapel of Talos, and I shed my tears for him in silence, knelt at the unrepentant altar.  
Only then could I return to Cloud Ruler, the dark ice already creeping over my heart. 

I blinked. Took a shuddering breath. Wiped salt-water from my cheeks; tears that glimmered in the firelight like stars. I missed him, my sweet warrior. I missed him with the dull ache of a long-healed bone. I yearned, even now, for those stolen days, for what we might have become. He would have made a wonderful father. We could have grown into our dotage together. Or perhaps the end of the Crisis would have been our undoing, and we would have left our rings on the cold altar in the Temple of the One and parted ways.

But I would never know, and oh! that galled me so.

"Nain?"  
I jumped. The glass landed with a clunk. "Sweet Akatosh! Baba," I turned around, "what are you doing out of bed?"  
"Thirsty."  
I sighed and scooped the tired bundle of boy into my arms.  
"Alright, let's get you a drink."  
Taren gave a sleepy little huff and snuggled against my shoulder.  
I looked down at him, my heart filling with love. Maybe I didn't have my sweet Baurus anymore, and maybe I would always regret not moving faster. But maybe one day, I would give his fine Akaviri blade to the child in my arms, and the world would seem right again.  
"Wuff you, Nain."  
"I love you too, Taren. And so does your Grandfa." I kissed the top of his head and made my way to the kitchen.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a lot of feels about Baurus. And yes, he did die in my original playthrough :(


End file.
